Bayonet adapter and magazine extension tube



May 27, 1969 BECHARD ET AL,

BAYONET ADAPTER AND MAGAZINE EXTENSION TUBE Filed July 27, 1967 Sheet mnMM mM M mmmm m or C O m% SW V. W & m VJYS k M W m r H I hm m V O awwwmm% A MN QI v \I mw ww Q Q s s :1, n llivlpklniil I. w I l 1 I i I aI l 1 1 ul 1 ,IMHI o oo ooooooooooo o n b w wN m N May 27, 1969 J B ETAL3,445,951

BAYONET ADAPTER AND MAGAZINE EXTENSION was:

Filed July 27, 1967 Sheet of 2 FIG. 3.

Inventors John J. Bechord, Walter L. Dahl Jornes S. Marfm, DOVId J.Sankey, Clark 5. Workman mm mm Attorneys United States Patent US. Cl.42-86 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bayonet adapter for tubularmagazine autoloading firearms including a magazine extension tube whichprovides a tubular magazine as long as the barrel. The adapter isarranged to surround both the barrel of the firearm and the magazineextension tube. The magazine extension extends to the muzzle end of thebarrel and the adapter can be arranged to accommodate any standardbayonet.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a bayonet adapterand magazine tube extension for tubular magazine shotguns. Inparticular, the invention relates to a bayonet adapter that one of thecurrent military bayonets and allows use of a magazine extension havingmaximum capacity within barrel length limitations.

Recent experiences have shown that there is need for weapons of theshotgun type for both military and police use. Shotguns are nowconsidered potent combat weapons for jungle fighting andcounter-insurgency operations in cities. Present use of shotguns inriots and prisoner control have shown that bayonets mounted on such gunshave a great deterrent effect against disobedience.

Conventional tubular magazine shotguns have 21 capacity creates adangerous condition when they are used in combat. Current bayonetadapters preclude increasing the length of tubular magazines.

Summary The subject invention contemplates the provision of a bayonetadapter and magazine extension tube combination for a tubular magazineshotgun. The adapter is formed to surround both the muzzle end of the:barrel and the extension so that the magazine extension can reach tothe muzzle of the barrel. The adapter can have a sling swivel mounted onthe adapter lug beneath the magazine tube extension or rotatably mountedon the barrel between two adapter sections surrounding the barrel.

Since World War I riot guns used for military guard duty have beenequipped with bayonet adapters that are machined from a forging. Theseadapters are quite expensive and do not permit the use of any magazineextensions. Shotguns currently being procured for combat use do notinclude bayonet adapters while all other shoulder firearms are equippedwith an adapter.

Shotguns with tubular magazines positioned beneath and parallel to thebarrel are all normally provided with a screw threaded cap which servesas a closure for the front end of the magazine tube. Hence they areadaptable to being provided with a magazine extension tube having ascrew threaded connector replacing the cap. With such an extension, themagazine capacity is limited only by the barrel length. For example,shotguns with a 20 inch barrel currently have a magazine capacity of 4shotshells. With one shell in the chamber the overall capacity of theshotgun is thus 5 shotshells. With an extension reaching to the muzzle,the capacity of the magazine is increased to 7 and the overall capacityincreased to 8.

Any magazine extension must have some support or a stabilizing bracketnear the muzzle of the barrel. Maximum advantage of such a system may berealized it the support bracket for the magazine extension tubecomprises a bayonet adapter. The adapter also provides means to mountsling swivels in a variety of positions. The adapter can have a swivelmounted on the lug positioned at the rear of the adapter beneath themagazine extension or the section surrounding the barrel can be slottedto allow a rotatable swivel band to be mounted on the barrel andretained by the adapter.

In conjunction with the bayonet adapter, a perforated upper hand guardis needed to avoid burns from a hot barrel when the barrel is graspedfor bayonet use or when shooting from the hip. A full length handguardis provided to extend from the receiver to the bayonet adapter. Theguard is made of perforated steel and can be made to accommodate anyrear sight that is desired.

It can, therefore, be seen that the primary object of this invention isto provide a combination bayonet adapter and magazine tube extension. Anadapter that can be clamped to the barrel will provide means to clampand support a magazine extension tube and the length of the extensionwill only be limited by barrel length. The extension also provides meansto mount a bayonet boss at the muzzle end thereof.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a partial side elevationof a firearm incorporating one version of the subject invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevation of a firearm incorporating anotherversion of the subject invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the bayonet adapter and magazine tubeextension combination; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the bayonet adapter and magazine tubeextension combination.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments The drawings illustrate afirearm 1 which has a receiver 2, barrel 3 and fore end 4. Aconventional tubular magazine 29 is secured to the receiver 2 inparallelism with the barrel 3, being housed within the fore end 4 andhaving the usual threaded end extending forwardly beyond the fore end.The fire control and butt stock of firearm 1 form no part of the presentinvention and are not shown in the drawings. Firearm 1 is specificallydesigned for use as a police riot gun or a military combat weapon and isprovided with a selective fire control for both semi-automatic and fullautomatic operation.

A gun such as shown is often fired from the hip with a hand on thebarrel to prevent the muzzle from climbing. In order to protect the handfrom heat generated during rapid fire, a hand guard is mounted on barrel3. Guard 5 is provided with a series of openings or perforations 6 todissipate heat and can be made with an opening to accommodate anoptional rear sight 7. Guard 5 is locked in place by receiver 2 and thebarrel encircling portion 8 of the bayonet adapter sleeve 9.

Current shotguns with tubular magazines have a maximum capacity of 4shotshells. Such a capacity is not sufficient for military purposes. Inorder to increase the capacity, the ordinary magazine end cap whichscrews onto the muzzle end of the magazine and retains the fore end inplace, had to be changed to a coupling 10 which is a cylinder.

Coupling 10 is threaded so one end can be screwed on the end of aconventional magazine tube 29 and con tains threads on the other end sothat the magazine eX- tension tube 11 can be screwed to it. The lengthof 3 igazine tube extension 11 is only limited by the length barrel 3. Agroove 12 is formed in tube 11 to serve a magazine follower stop andprevents the magazine ring from stacking up solid under recoil. Themuzzle d of tube 11 is closed by a bayonet boss 13 which ex- "ldSslightly forward of the muzzle of barrel 3 and is ranged to form a mountfor a ring formed as part of a tndard bayonet hand guard. The bayonetadapter sleeve 9 can take the form shown either FIGURE 1 or FIGURE 2.Sleeve 9 is preferably ade from relatively heavy gauge sheet metal andas eviously stated is formed with a first substantially lindricalsection 8 designed to encircle and clamp ound the muzzle of barrel 3 anda second substantially lindrical section 16 designed to encircle andclamp ound tube 11. Sections 8 and 16 are joined together at .e side bya web 17 and at the other side the ends 18 d 19 overlap to form aone-piece member. Sleeve 9 is rmed so that section 16 is disposedrearwardly from :tion 8. Sleeve 9 is clamped about barrel 3 and tube 11by cans of two screws 20 and 21 which pass through holes web 17 andscrew into threaded holes in ends 18 and The rearmost screw 21 ispositioned so as to engage oove 12 in tube 11. Positioning of screw 21in this anner locks sleeve 9 in place and section 16 provides muzzle endsupport for sleeve 9. A bayonet lug 22 is secured to the rear end ofsection i so as to be positioned beneath tube 11. Lug 22 is rmed toreceive the grip of a bayonet and combined .th boss 13 provides thecomplete support for a bayonet. 1g 22 is formed with an opening 23 whichwill receive sling swivel 24 if a sling is desired to be used. Avariation of adapter sleeve 9 is shown in FIGURE which allows themounting of a sling swivel either tove or below the barrel of thefirearm. In this version trrel encircling section 8 of bayonet adaptersleeve 9 split into two longitudinally separated portions to alwmounting of a sling swivel assembly 25 on barrel 3 the open sectionbetween the portions of section 8. ssembly 25 is rotatably mounted onbarrel 3 and inudes a swivel 26 to secure a sling thereto. This version1s two clamping screws 20 in addition to screw 21 which igages groove12.

The adapter sleeve shown in FIGURE 1 also has a iyonet lug 22 secured tothe rear of section 16. Lug 2. has opening 23 formed therein to receivea swivel 24. can thus be seen that the adapter of FIGURE 1 alnvs theshooter to conventionally mount a sling beneath 1e firearm or mount oneend on top of the barrel to rovide shoulder support for automaticfiring. Either ersion of the adapter sleeve is conveniently providedwith a front sight 27 mounted in a suitable base 8 secured thereto.

The combination set forth above provides means to increase the magazinecapacity of a tubular magazine shotgun or rifle while at the same timeprovides means to mount a conventional bayonet on the shotgun or rifle.

We claim:

1. An attachment for use with a firearm having a barrel, a receiver towhich said barrel is secured, a tubular magazine mounted in saidreceiver beneath and in parallelism with said barrel, said attachmentcomprising a combined bayonet adapter and tubular magazine extension,said extension being a tube releasably coupled to said tubular magazineand having its forward end extending to a position adjacent the muzzleend of the barrel and closed by a bayonet boss, said adapter having afirst section and a second section and arranged to have said firstsection encircling and releasably clamped to the muzzle end of saidbarrel and to have said second section encircling and releasably clampedto said tube which passes completely through said adapter, therebysupporting the free end of said tube, and a bayonet lug secured to saidsecond section beneath said tube, whereby said lug and said boss providemounting means for a bayonet.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said bayonet lug isformed to receive a sling swivel.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said bayonet adapter hasa sight attached thereto above said barrel.

4. The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said bayonet adapter isformed of sheet metal with the free ends overlapping.

5. The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said bayonet adapter hasa substantially figure eight cross section.

6. The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein said first section ofsaid bayonet adapter is formed with forward portion and a rear portionwith an opening therebetwecn and a rotatable sling swivel mounted onsaid barrel between said portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 269,547 12/ 1882 Starr 42-861,039,182 9/1912 Parsons et a1. 42--49 1,260,021 3 1918 OtterSon 42--861,283,465 11/1918 Burton.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

m g-3' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No 35 95 l Dated May 27 1969 John J. Bechard, Walter L. Dahl, James S.Martin, n flfl) David J. Sankey and Clark B. Workman It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I' Column 1, line 28, after "that" insert can accommodate "1 any Column1, line 40, after "pacity" insert of only 3 to 5 rounds. Such limitedcapacity ---r.

One of the inventor's name has an incorrect middle initial "Clark s.Workman" should be Clark B. Workman SIGNED mu SEALED APR 281970 Attest:

Eam-dMFImh J mm B. 'SGHUYLER, .m. Anesting Officer Commissioner or Yams

